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Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Reunited-does it feel so good?

Was this really what you came up with, Temple?

Welcome (back) to the Big East, Temple.

Back in 2004, the Big East and Temple broke up, or to put it more accurately, the Big East dumped Temple for low attendance. Now, the Big East finds itself in dire straits at the risk of only having seven football members for the 2012 season after WVU's departure. Guess who's on the phone to their ex?

Temple would have been well within their rights to tell the Big East to kick rocks, but the lure of the likely-soon-to-be-non-existent AQ was too much to resist. Temple football will bolt the MAC immediately, heading to the Big East in time for the 2012 season.

On the selfish-o-meter, I ain't mad. I've already got plenty of reason to be in the Philly area. So while you wouldn't be anyway for other reasons, don't be surprised if you should find me in Lincoln Financial Field rooting for a team in green.

For the Big East, in addition to a continued stay of execution, Temple brings access into the Philly market (you'll note I didn't say they bring the Philly market) during football season, another large, eastern metro area (lest the Big or East be eschewed), and a football program that has woken up considerably since the 2004 departure. Temple hoops will find a natural rival in Villanova, and for the year or two that they coexist, Temple and Pitt football can battle for the Keystone State. The MAC, meanwhile, will quickly reload with their planned addition of UMass.

There's a press conference scheduled for tonight at 5:30. I first thought it was an odd time, until I realized exactly what they were doing: Getting out of the way of the Big East basketball tournament.